An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Associated Press: Google Maps is heading in a new direction with artificial intelligence sitting in the passenger’s seat. Fueled by Google’s Gemini AI technology, the world’s most popular navigation app will become a more conversational companion as part of a redesign announced Wednesday. The hands-free experience is meant to turn Google Maps into something more like an insightful passenger able to direct a driver to a destination while also providing nearby recommendations on places to eat, shop or sightsee, when asked for the advice. “No fumbling required — now you can just ask,” Google promised in a blog post about the app makeover.

The AI features are also supposed to enable Google Maps to be more precise by calling out landmarks to denote the place to make a turn instead of relying on distance notifications. AI chatbots, like Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT, have sometimes lapsed into periods of making things up — known as “hallucinations” in tech speak — but Google is promising that built-in safeguards will prevent Maps from accidentally sending drivers down the wrong road. All the information that Gemini is drawing upon will be culled from the roughly 250 million places stored in Google Maps’ database of reviews accumulated during the past 20 years. Google Maps’ new AI capabilities will be rolling out to both Apple’s iPhone and Android mobile devices.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The University of Pennsylvania has a somewhat unusual distinction: It is the alma mater of two of the planet’s most polarizing figures, Elon Musk and Donald Trump. As the political power of both men rose over the last year, the US government began to pressure Penn, first by pulling its research funding and then by targeting the school for past actions related to a transgender swimmer.

After the “sticks” were deployed, a “carrot” was offered. Penn became one of just nine schools nationally to be offered a special “compact” with the federal government, which would give the feds broad control over the school and its speech in return for preferential access to federal funds. Penn declined to sign the deal. (Making the whole surreal situation stranger was the fact that one of Penn’s own wealthy boosters apparently helped the Trump administration write the compact.)

In other words, Penn has become an obvious target of the Trump administration; now it has been targeted by a hacker claiming to share Trump and Musk’s grievances over affirmative action and “wokeness.”

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Anna’s Archive, a popular website for pirating books and articles, seems to be square in Google’s sights, according to copyright and digital rights publication TorrentFreak. The search giant is said to have blocked some 749 million Anna’s Archive URLs from showing up in search results, TorrentFreak found, after combing through a recent transparency report.

The removal wasn’t necessarily targeted, as Google regularly delists content at the request of copyright holders. At time of this writing, has taken down links to 15,125,359,564 pages since 2011. But this is the latest in an ongoing, AI-prompted saga that is seeing copyright holders crack down on so-called “shadow libraries,” and it already represents around 5% of Google’s overall takedowns.

Anna’s Archive is a platform for pirated e-books

Personally, I hadn’t heard of Anna’s Archive, which makes sense—it’s a newer player in the field. The platform popped up in 2022, shortly after its predecessor, Z-Library, had its domains seized by the U.S. Department of Justice. Since then, it’s been quietly operating on its own little corner of the internet, serving as an open-source search engine for literary works that links to free publicly available sources when they exist, and pirated uploads when they don’t. Like Z-Library, it’s been blocked by German ISPs and sued in the U.S., but remains operational.

You can think of it kind of like the Pirate Bay, but for literary works—but on a larger scale (impressive given how new it is). TorrentFreak notes that only 4.2 million Pirate Bay URLs have been taken off Google, which is paltry compared to Anna’s Archive’s numbers.

AI scraping could be a factor

That discrepancy could be due to more aggressive takedown filing from publishers and authors, as more than 1,000 separate users have issued takedown requests to date, according to the Google data. These include both individuals and larger names like Penguin Random House, and their diligence could be related to Anna’s Archives’ stance on AI, as the site has admitted that it has freely provided access to 30 LLM developers to train on its “illegal archive of books,” and still openly hosts freely accessible pages for others to access.

Where copyright holders and readers will go from here is still up in the air. It’s important to note that, despite all appearances to the contrary, Google does not own the internet. Removing a site from its search engine does not prevent users from visiting it directly, and all three Anna’s Archive domains—annas-archive.org, annas-archive.se, and annas-archive.li—remain live.

Additionally, Anna’s Archive does not host any pirated content itself, but simply provides users to links where they can find it. All of this puts it in a legal gray area, which, when backed by the site’s open-source nature and strong commitment to the ideal that “preserving and hosting these files is morally right,” means it’s likely to continue in some form or another for years.

Still, as companies like Meta are found to have used pirated content to train its AI models, it’s likely actions that Google’s will become more common, and other sites, or even legal entities, might follow suit. Plan accordingly. (And if, like me, you’ve been asking yourself “Who the heck is Anna?” the archive’s FAQ has an answer: “You are Anna.” It’s a nod at the anonymous uploaders who provide it with much of its material.)

A new bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Mark Warner and Josh Hawley would require companies and federal agencies to report quarterly on AI-related workforce changes, including layoffs, new hires, and retraining efforts. The data from the AI-Related Job Impacts Clarity Act (PDF) would then be compiled by the Department of Labor into a publicly available report.

“This bipartisan legislation will finally give us a clear picture of AI’s impact on the workforce,” Warner said in a statement. “Armed with this information, we can make sure AI drives opportunity instead of leaving workers behind.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Syphilis can be a tricky disease to diagnose—especially when a patient may not be sharing the whole story.

Doctors in Belgium met with a real head-scratcher when an 83-year-old married man came in with a rare form of secondary syphilis—the second of four stages of the sexually transmitted bacterial infection that has been called a “master of disguise.”

The man told doctors up front that he was in a monogamous 50-year-long marriage and had been sexually inactive in recent years following treatment for cancer. In a Clinical Problem-Solving report published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, doctors laid out the step-by-step tests and reasoning they used to get to the right diagnosis, which still didn’t answer all their questions.

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Google on Wednesday revealed five recent malware samples that were built using generative AI. The end results of each one were far below par with professional malware development, a finding that shows that vibe coding of malicious wares lags behind more traditional forms of development, which means it still has a long way to go before it poses a real-world threat.

One of the samples, for instance, tracked under the name PromptLock, was part of an academic study analyzing how effective the use of large language models can be “to autonomously plan, adapt, and execute the ransomware attack lifecycle.” The researchers, however, reported the malware had “clear limitations: it omits persistence, lateral movement, and advanced evasion tactics” and served as little more than a demonstration of the feasibility of AI for such purposes. Prior to the paper’s release, security firm ESET said it had discovered the sample and hailed it as “the first AI-powered ransomware.”

Don’t believe the hype

Like the other four samples Google analyzed—FruitShell, PromptFlux, PromptSteal, and QuietVault—PromptLock was easy to detect, even by less-sophisticated endpoint protections that rely on static signatures. All samples also employed previously seen methods in malware samples, making them easy to counteract. They also had no operational impact, meaning they didn’t require defenders to adopt new defenses.

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Meta has begun rolling out its latest firmware update for its Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses. The update, V19.2, is available this week, and improves Garmin integration and video recording for both first and second generation Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta wearables.

Ray-Ban Meta – Wayfarer Large glasses with Meta AI, Audio, Photo, Video Compatibility – Polarized Gradient Graphite Lens (Refurbished) – Matte Black

$263.00
at Best Buy

$263.00
at Best Buy

The improvements to Garmin device integration lets Meta users sync Garmin stats to videos and photos, ask Meta AI for health info, and get real-time voice updates of fitness metrics while active. These features were previously exclusive to Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses, but now everyone has access.

As for the improvements to videos, the update introduces selectable stabilization modes (auto, low, medium, and high), the ability to record clips that are five minutes long (up from three minutes), and the option of recording 1080p video at 60 FPS—not bad for a camera you wear on your face.

Oakley | Meta HSTN – with Meta AI, Audio, Photo, Video Compatibility – Black, Prizm™ Black Polarized

$449.00
at Amazon

$449.00
at Amazon

How to update your Meta smart glasses

If you have Meta glasses set to “automatic update,” all you have to do is make sure your specs have power and are connected to your phone via Bluetooth and they’ll automatically update over the air. If you want to check for an update manually, follow these steps:

• Open the Meta AI app.

• Click the glasses icon at the top right.

• Select the Gear icon next to the glasses.

• Hit “Updates”

• Hit “Check” to see if your device is up-to-date.

Meta’s update schedule is impressive

Ray-Ban Metas have been my daily-wear glasses for over a year now and they’re my choice for best overall smart glasses on the market. One of the reasons I like them so much is that Meta provides regular software updates. The company makes fixes and adds features approximately every six to eight weeks, and they’re usually notable improvements.

August’s update added AI photo restyling and Google and Outlook calendar integration, and May’s update added Live AI and translation features. The pace of updates is on par with a platform instead of a gadget, making these smart glasses feel like they’re designed for the long haul, instead of a “buy one this year, then buy the new one next year” gadget.

A new Activate Consulting report reveals that 43% of Gen Z now prefer YouTube and TikTok over traditional TV or paid streaming. With global media revenues surging and traditional TV viewership collapsing, the average person now spends over 13 hours a day consuming content across platforms, effectively living a “32-hour day” through multitasking. Variety reports: Per the same survey, the popularity of “microdramas” — one of the latest trends on those platforms, consisting of 1-2 minute scripted episodes of an ongoing storyline — has been increasing at a fast rate with 28 million U.S. adults (52% aged 18-34) reportedly watching that new form of content.

Additional findings include projections for global internet and media revenue to increase by $388 billion by 2029, while average daily time spent streaming video will climb to 4 hours and 8 minutes as time spent watching traditional TV is set to collapse to just 1 hour and 17 minutes. Activate estimates that, as a result, streaming revenues (from ads and subscriptions) will grow 18-19% annually while traditional TV revenues will fall 4-6% year to year.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Ahead of Black Friday, Amazon has discounted several versions of the Google Pixel 10. Right now, you can get the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL with 256 GB of storage and 16 GB of RAM for $899 (originally $1,199), marking a record-low price according to price-tracking tools.

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL

$899.00
at Amazon

$1,199.00
Save $300.00

$899.00
at Amazon

$1,199.00
Save $300.00

Built with aluminum and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, the phone has an IP68 rating, meaning it can withstand dust and be submerged to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. Its 6.8″ Super Actua display reaches 3,300-nit peak brightness, making it easier to use in direct sunlight. Powered by the Google Tensor G5 chip, it integrates AI tools like the Magic Cue and Gemini Live, which help you brainstorm or point your camera at something you want more information about. 

The camera system offers 50 MP images and 8K video in low light. It has a 42 MP main lens, a  48 MP ultrawide lens, and a 48 MP telephoto with up to 100× digital zoom. The battery should last over 24 hours on a charge, and up to 100 hours with Extreme Battery Saver turned on. It takes between 77 and 90 minutes to fully charge and reaches around 70% in half an hour with a wired 45W charger. 

Google promises seven years of software support, which ensures lasting performance and security updates down the line. Altogether, the currently discounted Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is a great option for Android users who want to level up with a bigger, faster, and more powerful phone with impressive camera performance.

Hilarious co-op video game Overcooked is making the move to the real world. A24 has acquired the rights to the popular indie hit and Deadline reports that the company is working with Netflix to develop the concept into an unscripted competition reality TV series. I adore this idea, and with the right people behind it, I think it could be a masterwork of reality TV. According to the reports, this is the first time independent film and TV studio A24 will make a reality show, but Netflix has already had some success with food and cooking programs, such as with the absolute gem that is Nailed It! 

The often ridiculous antics of Overcooked are a wonderful match for that type of lighthearted competition show. In the game, one to four players work together to cook customers’ food orders as quickly as possible while the environment creates silly, unexpected obstacles. Unfortunately, there’s no way the Netflix legal team will green light challenges where contestants might fall into actual lava, and recreating the space travel levels would probably blow the budget. But I can see all sorts of Overcooked-style mayhem from sliding on icy floors or suddenly moving countertops. I’m also imagining a lot of dashing between inconveniently placed kitchen appliances and occasionally plunging the contestants into total darkness. There’s no timeline given in Deadline’s report, but I cannot wait for this to exist.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/co-op-game-overcooked-may-become-a-competition-reality-tv-show-on-netflix-222406920.html?src=rss

Snap and Perplexity AI have struck a $400 million deal that will bring the AI search engine directly to Snapchat sometime in “early 2026,” the two companies announced. With the partnership, Perplexity’s AI search engine will be a prominent part of Snapchat’s “chat” interface so users can “ask questions and get clear, conversational answers drawn from verifiable sources, all within Snapchat.”

The news was announced alongside the company’s third-quarter earnings. The company said that revenue from the deal — Perplexity is paying Snap $400 million for the integration — is “expected to begin contributing” to the company’s bottom line in 2026. In a letter to shareholders, CEO Evan Spiegel also hinted that Snap could pursue similar partnerships with other AI companies. “This collaboration makes AI-powered discovery native to Snapchat, enhances personalization, and positions Snap as a leading distribution channel for intelligent agents, laying the groundwork for a broader ecosystem of AI partners to reach our global community,” he wrote. 

Snap, like its peers, has been leaning into generative AI in recent years. The company has its own LLM-powered chatbot, called MyAI, which uses models from OpenAI and Google. Snap has also introduced AI-powered lenses and creation tools, which have helped boost its Snapchat+ subscription service.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/snap-and-perplexity-sign-400-million-deal-to-put-ai-search-directly-in-snapchat-221101734.html?src=rss

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Guardian: Authorities in Denmark are urgently studying how to close an apparent security loophole in hundreds of Chinese-made electric buses that enables them to be remotely deactivated. The investigation comes after transport authorities in Norway, where the Yutong buses are also in service, found that the Chinese supplier had remote access for software updates and diagnostics to the vehicles’ control systems — which could be exploited to affect buses while in transit.

Amid concerns over potential security risks, the Norwegian public transport authority Ruter decided to test two electric buses in an isolated environment. Bernt Reitan Jenssen, Ruter’s chief executive, said: “The testing revealed risks that we are now taking measures against. National and local authorities have been informed and must assist with additional measures at a national level.” Their investigations found that remote deactivation could be prevented by removing the buses’ sim cards, but they decided against this because it would also disconnect the bus from other systems.

Ruter said it planned to bring in stricter security requirements for future procurements. Jenssen said it must act before the arrival of the next generation of buses, which could be even “more integrated and harder to secure.” Movia, Denmark’s largest public transport company, has 469 Chinese electric buses in operation — 262 of which were manufactured by Yutong. Jeppe Gaard, Movia’s chief operating officer, said he was made aware of the loophole last week. “This is not a Chinese bus problem,” he said. “It is a problem for all types of vehicles and devices with Chinese electronics built in.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

A familiar face will be helping Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani set up his new administration before he takes office in 2026. Lina Khan, former Federal Trade Commission Chair under President Joe Biden, has been officially announced as one of Mamdani’s transition co-chairs, alongside Grace Bonilla, Maria Torres-Springer and Melanie Hartzog.

Mamdani’s platform is focused on affordability, with fighting corporate corruption a key way he hopes to lower prices for New Yorkers. Mamdani’s proposed policies include working to ban hidden fees and non-compete clauses, while funding challenges to utility company rate hikes. It’s not surprising that Khan and Mamdani would be aligned. As Chair, Khan is best known for trying to rebuild the FTC’s anti-monopolist backbone, but she was similarly interested in banning non-compete clauses and hidden junk fees. Khan has also publicly expressed her appreciation for the Mamdani campaign’s focus on small businesses in The New York Times Opinion section.

“I think what we saw last night was New Yorkers not just electing a new mayor, but clearly rejecting a politics where outsized corporate power and money too often end up dictating our politics,” Khan said at a press conference announcing her new role. “And a clear mandate for change, where New Yorkers can get ahead and where all workers and small businesses can thrive, not just get by.”

While Mamdani has served as a New York state assemblyman, his relative lack of experience has been used as a consistent criticism of his candidacy for mayor. Clearly, that didn’t matter to voters, but Mamdani’s chosen transition team members suggest he plans to surround himself with people who are experienced. In the case of Khan, that includes a transition co-chair who’s willing to be openly critical of corporate power. The Trump administration has effectively remade the FTC in its image, but there’s more than one place the influence of big businesses can be checked.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/former-ftc-chair-lina-khan-will-help-zohran-mamdani-build-his-new-administration-220304723.html?src=rss